Herb Marinated Braised Lamb Shanks

What is it about September that the minute it’s no longer oppressively hot we can’t wait to make a slow-cooked, braised stew?

Perhaps it was that these lamb shanks had been sitting in our large freezer all summer long, and every time I opened it (usually to get out the ice cream maker bowl) there they were, just asking to be cooked. Finally it has cooled down enough that we can enjoy a hearty stew.

Lamb shanks come from either the forelegs or the lower hind legs of a lamb, which get a lot of exercise, and therefore are great cuts for stews and slow-cooked braises.

The long cooking time is needed to break down the tough connective tissue in the muscles. At the end of cooking the meat should just fall off the bone.

With the addition of fresh tomatoes and zucchini, this herb-marinated lamb stew is a great dish for the end of summer and beginning of fall.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

½ Tbsp curry powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2-4 lamb shanks (1 to 1¼ lb each)

6 cups chicken stock or low-salt chicken broth

4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed

2 carrots, peeled, cut lengthwise and then and cut into 2 inch segments

4 Remove lamb shanks to a plate: Once the lamb shanks have cooked until they are fall apart tender remove them to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. When cool, remove meat from bones and cut into chunks.